Box-covering machine.



E. M. GRAPE. BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 19.13.

Patented May 26, 1914.

3 BHEETS-8HBET 1.

COLUMBIA P E. M. GRAPE.

BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1B, 191s.

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E. M. GRAPE.

BOX COVERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 191a.

Patented my 26, 1914 3 SHEET$-BHBBT 3 AP" 10.. WASHIN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNST MAX GRAPE, OE BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM OF MAX KRAUSE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

BOX-GOVERING MACHINE.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERNsT MAX GRAFE, subject of the King of Saxony, residing at 91 Prinzenstrasse, Berlin, in the German Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Covering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the covering of boxes of the type having a drop-down side and has for its object to provide an improved machine for covering such boxes. Hitherto it has been usual either to cover boxes of this class by hand or to cover an ordinary four-sided box, secured at the four corners, on the usual box-covering machines and then to form the drop-down side by severing the sides at two of the corners. This method, however, is slow and gives an unsightly appearance to the box, owing to the rough car-board edges at the cut corners.

According to the present invention, the box, with the flap turned down, is placed upon the gunnned sheet and fitted upon the form-block of a box-covering machine, the form-block having a projection to fit upon the flap and hold it down. The gummed sheet is then press-ed upon the box between the form-block and a lower platen. The sides of the gummed sheet are turned up and pressed against the sides of the box in the usual manner, the edges of the sheet which project beyond the sides of the flap being at the same time turned up. The corner pieces of the sides of the covering sheet are then turned in as usual. During this operation, the upturned edges of the flap portion of the covering sheet are turned down and stuck to the flap. The end of the sheet is now turned up against the end of the box, the front edge of the flap portion of the sheet being also turned up. At the next operation, the front edge is turned down and stuck to the flap, at the same time the front corner pieces of the sides being turned in and stuck to the inside of the box and the usual tucking-in mechanism tucks in the npper edges of the covering sheet, these upper edges being thereupon turned down and stuck to the inside of the box in the usual manner.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, showing the inven- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 18, 1913.

Patented May 26, 1914.

Serial No. 801,584.

tion carried out on a boxcovering machine of known type, but it will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to this type of machine.

F igure 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of such parts of the improved box-covering machine as are necessary to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the roller for turning in the side edges of the flap portion of the covering sheet. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the roller for turning in the front edge of the flap and of the mechanism for turning in the front corner pieces. Fig. l is a perspective View of the box to which this invention relates. F ig. 5 is a view of the cover sheet or blank. Fig. 6 is a plan showing the covering sheet applied to the box and fitted upon the formblock. Figs. 7 to 11 are perspective views showing the different operations of covering boxes.

As shown in Fig. 4: the invention is adapted for covering boxes of the type having a bottom or top part a, three sides 2'), 0, cl and a drop-down flap c, this drop-down flap being formed either in one piece with the bottom or top a and a hinge formed by corrugating the cardboard at f, or by forming the parts a and e separately and hinging them together by means of hinge strips. The blank as shown in Fig. 5, is cut to form a corresponding bottom or top part a side parts 11 0 d and a flap portion the necessary extensions being formed to enable these portions to be secured to the corresponding portions of the box.

Reference will now be made to Figs. 4 to 11, in order to clearly describe the method of covering the box. The box is first of all laid upon the blank or covering sheet so that the part a of the box corresponds with the part (B, while the flap 0 lies upon the flap portion 0' of the cover sheet. The box is then fitted upon a form-block 1 (Fig. 6) which has a forwardly projecting part 1 adapted to rest upon the flap 6 of the box but reduced in size so as to enable the edges of the flap portion 6 of the cover sheet to be turned over. The projection It on the form-block prevents the fiap e turning up in the machine.

The first operation of the machine, as shown in Fig. 7, is to turn up the side parts 6 and C11 of the blank, at the same time turning up the side edges 6 and e of the flap portion, whereupon the corner pieces I), b and d (Z are turned inwardly so that the portions 6 and (Z will adhere to the end 0 of the box. At the same time the side edges 6 e are turned in and stuck to the flap 6 as shown in Fig. 8. The end portion 0 is then turned up and secured to the end 0 of the box and during this operation the front edge e of the flap portion 6 is turned up, as shown in Fig. 9. In the succeeding operation the turned up edge e is turned down and stuck to the flap e and at the same time the corner pieces and (Z are turned in and stuck to the insides of the sides Z) and (Z. Tucking-in mechanism also turns in the now upwardly projecting edges 12*, c and (Z as shown in Fig. 10, and in the final operation the edges Z2 c and (Z are turned into the box and secured to the sides thereof.

The general operation of covering the box having now been described, reference will be made to Figs. 1 to 3. The form-block 1, l vis carried by a rod 2, secured to a verti cally moving plunger 3, which is operated in the usual manner so as to impart the necessary downward and upward motion to the form-block and retain it in any desired position during the downward movement in order to enable the different operations to be carried out. The form-block 1, 1 is somewhat less in thickness than the depth of the box and fitted upon it is a block 4 of the same shape as the inside of the box. This block 4 is carried by vertically reciprocating rods 5 moving through the plunger 3.

6 designate the usual stripping rods adapted to strip the box from the form-block at the end of the operations. This mechanism forms no part of the present invention, the only novel feature being the provision of the forward projection 1 on the form-block 1. Beneath the form-block is a platen 7 carried at the upper end of a vertical rod 8 and so arranged that it moves down with the form-block and follows the latter on its upward movement. The platen 7 is extended at the front 7 to form a support for the flap e of the box and in cases where the hinge f of the box is formed by corrugating, a channel it is formed in the platen to receive the hinge.

The box and covering sheet are shown fitted upon the form block in Fig. 1. \Vhen the machine is now set in operation the form-block moves downwardly until it contacts with the platen 7 thus pressing the covering sheet uniformly against the bot-- tom of the box. On the continued downward movement of the form-block 1, the platen 7 moves therewith and the sides 6 (Z and edges 6 e of the covering sheet are turned up by'brushes 9 and rollers 10 mounted at each side of the machine in the usual manner. On the continued downward movement the form-block comes opposite turn-in plates 11 and stops momentarily in this position to allow the turn-in plates 11 to come into operation. These turn-in plates 11 are then moved toward the center of the box in the known manner and turn in the edges 6 5 (Z and (Z At the same time two rollers 12, one at each side of the machine and mounted either on the same moving carriage as the turn-in plates or on a similarly reciprocating carriage, move toward the center and turn in the edges 6 and e of the flap portion and press these edges closely into contact with the flap. These rollers are carried by a yoke 13 which is pivoted by means of a pin 14 in bearings 15. A spring 16 on the pin 14 tends to press the yoke downwardly and thus to press the roller 12 down upon the flap 6, a suitable stop (not shown) being provided to limit the downward movement of the roller. The bearings 15 are carried by a block 17 adjustable upon a slide 18 which is secured to the reciprocating part of the machine. After the edges 6 (Z and e e have been turned in, the form block 1 and block 4 continue their downward movement and a brush 19 and roller 20, similar in con struction to the brush 9 and roller 10 and arranged at one side, turn over the end por tion 0 of the covering sheet.

At the opposite side of the machine a roller 21 turns up the front edge e of the fiap portion. The box with the cover sheet applied thereon in the manner shown in Fig. 9, now continues its downward movement until the platen 7 assumes the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and during this downward movement the block 4 re mains behind, this being effected in the usual manner. The tucking-in plates 22 ar ranged at the three sides of the box now move inwardly and tuck in the upper edges 6 c and J in the usual manner. During this operation a roller 23 moves inwardly and turns down the front edge e and sticks it to the flap 6 while at the same time two small rollers 24, one at each side of the machine, turn in the corner pieces 79 and (Z and stick them to the sides 7) and (Z. The roller 23 is mounted in a spring bearing 25 so as 115 to obtain the necessary pressure upon the front edge. The spring bearings 25 are secured upon a transverse guide 26 which is adjustably supported from a bracket 27 secured to a reciprocating part of the machine. 1 The smaller rollers 24 are carried at the inner ends of pivoted plates 28, pivoted on slides 29 adjustable on the transverse guide 26. The lower end of the pivot pin 30' of the plates 28 carries an arm 31 to which a 125 roller 32 is attached, and connecting the outer end of the arm 31 and the slide 29 is a spring 33 tending to pull the rollers 24 apart,

.as shown in Fig. 3. The object of this arrangement is to provide for opening out the 130 rollers 24 during the downward movement of the box to allow the passage thereof between the rollers 24 It will be seen that the rollers 2 1 are normally held apart but that it is necessary that the rollers M be brought in wardly so as to engage the corner pieces 6 and (Z For this purpose the roller 32 is adapted to engage a curved projection 5% fixed in any suitable position on the machine and preferably capable of adjustment, being for this purpose, as shown in F 8 carried by a block 35 adjustably movable upon a guide 36 which in turn is adjustably mounted on a guide 37 fixed to the machine, "When the rollers 2 fv have been turned in wardly in this manner to engage the edges 5 (Z the springs 33 serve to press them against the edges 6 and (Z and affix the latter, since the rollers 32 have in the meantime left the curved projections 3a.

38 designate the usual blocks for pressing the covering sheet firmly against the sides of the box in the usual manner. It will of course be understood that after the completion of these operations, the block 4 moves downwardly and turns in the edges 6 0* and (Z against the sides of the box, where upon the form-block 1 and block 1 together with the now finished box and platen 7 moves upwardly, the brushes 9, 19, rollers 10, 20 and 21 being turned out of the way in the usual manner so as not to interfere with the upward movement of the box.

It will of course be understood that the brushes 9 and 19 may be dispensed with and that instead of the rollers 10, 12, 20, 21, 23, and 24%, any other suitable devices for effecting the same operation may be provided,

1 claim 1. A machine for covering boxes having a drop-down side comprising a form-block upon which the box is fitted, said block having a projection adapted to bear upon the side when turned down, and mechanism for covering the box and drop-down side with a sheet while in position on said block.

2. A machine for covering boxes having a drop-down side comprising a form-block upon which the box is fitted, said block having a projection adapted to bear upon the side when turned down, a platen of a size equal to that of the box with its side turned don n, whereby the covering sheet is pressed upon the box between said fornrblock and platen, and mechanism for covering the box and drop-down side with a sheet while in position on said block.

3. In a box covering machine for boxes having a drop-down side, the combination with a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and its drop-clown side in the plane of the bottom of the box, of covering devices whereby the covering sheet is ailixed tolthe sides of the box and to the drop-down SIC e.

l. In a box covering machine for boxes having a drop-down side, the combination with a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and its drop-down side in the plane of the bottom of the box, of a platen adapted to press a covering sheet against the box and its drop-down side and covering devices whereby the covering sheet is ailixed to the sides of the box and to the drop-down side.

5. A machine for covering boxes having a dropdown side with a covering sheet, comprising a vertically reciprocating form-block adapted to support and carry the box and its drop-down side in the plane of the bottom of the box, devices for turning up the sheet to cover the three upstanding sides of the box and for turning up the edges of the sheet at the edges of the drop-down side, devices for turning in the side parts of the sheet at the edges of the sides of the box, and devices for turning over and affixing the edges of the sheet to the inside of the box and to the drop-down side.

6. A machine for covering boxes having a drop-down side with a covering sheet, comprising a vertically reciprocating form-block adapted to support and carry the box and its drop-down side in the plane of the bottom of the box, devices for turning up the sheet to cover the two parallel sides of the box and for turning up the edges of the sheet at the two side edges of the drop-down side, devices for turning in the edges of the up turned sides of the sheet, devices for simultaneously therewith turning over and aliixing the upturned edges of the sheet to the drop-down side, devices for turning up the sheet at the end of the box and for turning up the front edge of the sheet, tuckingin mechanism for the upper edges of the sheet, and devices for simultaneously turning over and afiixing the front edge of the sheet and for tucking-in the edges of the sheet at the two corners.

7. A box covering machine for covering boxes having a hinged side or flap with. a covering sheet, comprising a vertically reciprocating form-block adapted to support and carry the box and to support the flap in the plane of the bottom of the box, devices for covering the sides and end of the box, turning-in fingers for the edges of the sheet at the corners of the box, turning-over rollers for the edges of the sheet at the sides of the fiap, a turning over roller for the edge of the sheet at the front edge of the flap, and tucking-in fingers for the turned-in edges at the two corners of the box nearest the flap.

8. In a box covering machine for covering boxes having a hinged side or fiap with a covering sheet, mechanism for covering the flap comprising a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and to support the flap in the plane of the bottom. of the box, and adjustable spring-pressed devices for turning-over the sheet at the edges of the flap.

9. In a box covering machine for covering boxes having a hinged side or flap with a covering sheet, a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and to support the flap in the plane of the bottom of the box, covering devices for the three fixed sides of the box, devices for turning-over the sheet at the edges of the flap, and tucking-in devices for tucking-in the edges of the sheet at the two corners of the box nearest the flap.

10. In a box covering machine for cover ing boxes having a hinged side or flap with a covering sheet, a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and to support the fiap in the plane of the bottom of the box, covering devices for the three fixed sides of the box, devices for turning-over the sheet at the edges of the flap, tuckingin fingers for tucking-in the edges of the sheet at the two corners of the box nearest the flap, and mechanism for opening out said fingers to allow of the passage of the box between and for returning said fingers to operative position.

11. In a box covering machine for covering boxes having a hinged side or fiap with a covering sheet, a form-block adapted to support and carry the box and to support the flap in the plane of the bottom of the box, covering devices for the three fixed sides of the box, devices for turning-over the sheet atthe edges of the fiap, tucking-in fingers for tucking-in the edges of the sheet at the two corners of the box nearest the fiap, springs normally opening out said fin gers to allow the passage of the box between and adapted to press said fingers into operative relationship with the sides of the box, and mechanism for moving said fingers into operative position against the action of said springs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNST MAX GRAFE.

Witnessses HENRY HASPER, WVOLDEMAR HAUPT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

